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My
latest venture.... Order Japanese
Green Tea Direct from the Grower!
Tea Ceremony Sets, Tea
Sets, Green Tea Gum,
Matcha Latte & more
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Green tea is the national beverage of Japan and has
grown in popularity here in the US especially due to its many health benefits.
The Japanese word for tea is ocha. At the sushi bar you can ask for ocha
or you can say "agari," which
means finished.
The large cup ocha iis served in is called yunomi. But the common green tea found in all
Japanese restaurants and sushi bars is just the beginning...
"Chado
- literally the way of tea - or Chanoyu
- widely known as the "Tea Ceremony"
- holds an aura of mystery for many people,
but its governing impulse is simple: a small
number of friends come together to spend
several hours in partaking of a meal, drinking
tea, and enjoying a brief respite from the
business of daily concerns. The guests,
passing through a small garden of trees
and shrubery, enter the quiet, intimate
space of the tea room, which is shaded from
any glaring light. In the alcove hangs
a scroll, often inscribed with words of
a Zen master. A few flowers are arranged
in a simple manner in a vase. In this
tranquility, suggesting the atmosphere of
an isolated hut, host and guests recollect
themselves and, while carrying on the most
ordinary activities of human life, seek
to relate to each other and to all the elements
of their environment with directness, immediacy,
and profound appreciation." quoted
from The
Book Of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura.
Black tea is
fermented, whereas green tea is steamed to prevent the leaves from turning
brown. Bancha is the coarsest grade of green tea which has been roasted; it
contains stems or twigs as well as leaves, and is usually served free of charge
with a meal. The highest grade of green tea is called Matcha. The tender leaves
used for matcha are picked by hand and steamed quickly to keep the bright green
color and its freshness. The leaves are then dried and ground to a fine powder.
Matcha is the tea used in the Tea Ceremony and for making green tea ice cream.
I have found many other recipes that
use green tea.
Because it is a fundamental part of the Japanese culture,
I now offer Tea and
Tea Acessories through www.BoulderTea.com
There are many types of teas to
try.....
MATCHA - The jade green powdered tea used in the
Japanese tea ceremony and is also used in cooking, making green tea ice
cream, and fantastic mixed drinks.
BANCHA - Japan's coarse summer tea leaves that are sold as lower quality green
tea
GENMAICHA
- Green Tea with roasted brown rice (genmai = brown rice)
HOJICHA - Tea made from roasted coarse leaves and stems
KUKICHA
- Tea made from twigs and stems
SENCHA
- High-quality Japanese green tea made from young, tender leaves
KOREAN
TEAS are also available.
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To prepare matcha tea use 1 teaspoon per bowl of hot
water (1 cup) and beat with bamboo whisk "Chasen". We recommend using a
bowl wide enough to use the chasen, and also a bowl with a glazed interior. If
you use a bowl that is not smooth inside, you cannot properly mix the tea
because it will stick to any indentations on the inside. Whisk briskly to
create a froth and serve immediately. The point is to drink the tea while it is
mixed and before it settles to the bottom of the cup/bowl.
Chemical
Components of Matcha per 100
grams:
Vitamin A: 16,000IU
| Vitamin B1: 0.6mg
| Vitamin B2: 1.35mg | Vitamin C: 60mg
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Vitamin E: 35.9mg
| Proteins & Amino Acids:
30.7% | Carbohydrates: 28.6% | Fat: 5.3% |
Fiber: 10%
| Ash: 7.4% |
Tannin: 10% | Caffeine: 3.2% |
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The
Tea Store
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